


Don't Want It Any Other Way

by lululawrence



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, American Harry Styles, American Louis Tomlinson, Based on a Tumblr Post, Flirting, Girl Scouts, M/M, Meet-Cute, No Smut, One Shot, Proud Brother Louis, but i saw it on a tumblr post so it fits i guess, technically it was a tweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2020-08-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:41:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,853
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25679785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lululawrence/pseuds/lululawrence
Summary: Harry waited for a car to pass and heard a loud, obviously performative laugh coming from his right.He turned and saw a guy heading directly toward the Girl Scouts by the entrance with his arms held out wide.“My bitches areback!” the guy yelled.Harry’s jaw dropped in surprise. He stepped forward, his arm out to stop the guy before he could go closer to the Girl Scouts, when one of them stood up and gave him a death glare.“No!” she shouted. "Stop."And the guydid.“Walk away,” she said forcefully.Once again, the dumbass did exactly as he was told.Or the one where Harry's grocery store run is far more exciting than he ever anticipated. (He might even come out of it with a date, if the Girl Scout's hot brother is single, anyway.)
Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson
Comments: 23
Kudos: 346
Collections: Prompt 5.4: Board





	Don't Want It Any Other Way

**Author's Note:**

> Awhile ago I stumbled upon a post on Tumblr I can no longer find, but I found the [tweets that were screenshot for the post](https://twitter.com/elimccann/status/1236415762094411776?lang=en). As soon as I read them I went to one of my chats and started yelling about how Doris would be the Girl Scout etc etc etc and saved it for a later day. Today is that day haha It was such fun writing this, I hope you enjoy the short read!
> 
> This is also part of a Wordplay prompt challenge for the prompt "board". To read the amazing fics that were written by the others on this prompt, [click here](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/board), and to see all fics written as part of the challenge (including years 1-3), [click here](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/wordplay_fic_challenge/works). You can also find the masterpost for this year’s challenge [here](https://wordplayfics.tumblr.com/post/622306139518926848/wordplay-2020-every-week-for-five-weeks-a-prompt).
> 
> This fic is unbetaed... please be willing to overlook my many mistakes because of this :D
> 
> The title comes from Easier by 5sos. This is a work of fiction and entirely written by myself. Please don't share it with anyone in any way connected to the band. I also don't allow translations or reposting of my work without my express permission, thank you for understanding.
> 
> Thank you and I hope you enjoy reading!

Harry parked the car and collected his phone and keys before going to the trunk to gather his grocery totes. He hated shopping on Saturdays. Kroger was always a mess at the best of times, but it felt like everyone in his little suburb decided to all congregate there on Saturdays. He had the hardest time getting through the aisles because everyone just happened to run into their neighbor or acquaintance from church or someone they haven’t seen since high school graduation thirty years before. 

Sometimes Harry wondered why he still lived in the Midwest. Everyone always wanted to chat when he just wanted to get in and out.

Steeling himself for the barrage of people he was bound to see inside, he closed the trunk and started to head into the store. Just as he was waiting for a car to pass so he could cross to the entrance, Harry heard a loud obviously performative laugh coming from his right.

Harry turned and saw what was probably a random white dude in his thirties who thought he was cool. He was walking directly towards the table set up by the entrance to the grocery store, smiling at the Girl Scouts with his arms held out wide.

“My bitches are  _ back!”  _ the guy yelled.

Harry’s jaw dropped in surprise at this guy walking up to these young girls and using that kind of language. Harry started stepping forward, his arm out to stop the guy before he could go closer to the Girl Scouts when one of them, a short girl with a head of wild red curls stood up and gave him a death glare. 

“No!” she shouted, holding her hand out in the universal sign for stop. 

And the guy  _ did. _

“Walk away,” she said forcefully. When the guy was obviously still frozen in place, she raised her brows and motioned with her finger for him to turn around and go back to his car.

Once again, the dumbass did exactly as he was told and turned around, returning to his fancy truck and pulled out of the parking lot as quick as he probably could.

Smiling widely, Harry couldn’t help clapping as he walked over to the table. The red head was still giving the truck a death glare, as if she wanted to make sure the guy actually was leaving the area.

“That was seriously impressive how you handled that guy,” Harry said as he looked at the boards advertising the price of the cookies as well as their troop number. “I already have some of these at home, but I think I need to support you simply for having to deal with people like that.”

“Yeah, well you have to be pretty tough if you’re going to go out in  _ this _ outfit,” she said with a shrug.

Harry couldn’t help sputtering a laugh. This girl was sassy and funny and he was a huge fan. Just as he was about to pick out a few boxes, he saw another board he hadn’t noticed before. Cash only.

Wincing, Harry pointed to the sign. “Alright, I don’t have any cash on me, but I’ll be back after my shopping. I’ll be sure to get some out so I can be sure to support your troop. You guys will still be here in about half an hour?”

Just as the red head was about to answer him, another voice cut in.

“Doris! Great job! Way to stand up for everyone and not just accept any of that kind of behavior.”

Harry turned his head over his shoulder and saw the man who had to be the Girl Scout’s dad.

He was gorgeous. If he was here watching out for his daughter despite the fact she was with several of her peers and a woman who looked to be a scouting leader, Harry had a hunch he was also a good guy. Not only that, but he was teaching his daughter to stand up for herself and not just take unacceptable behavior from someone just because they were a man. God, Harry was so soft for a hot dad, and this guy seemed to be the best of those. 

Despite the fact he knew the guy was likely off limits and probably straight, Harry knew he wanted to talk to him.

“Thank you,” the girl—Doris—said, somehow still sounding annoyed as she did it. She rolled her eyes and made a shooing motion. “Now please go back to where you were waiting before. You promised you wouldn’t hover.”

The hot dad raised his hands with a smile as he started backing away again. Harry could see a camp chair set up with a book and bottled water back near where the employees usually sit outside to have a smoke. That must be where he had been watching.

Harry gave the girls a quick wave before walking towards where the hot dad was slowly making his way back to his chair. 

“She at the age where she’s embarrassed to have her dad around?” Harry guessed, trying to make natural conversation. He hoped he wasn’t coming off as creepy in doing so.

The guy smiled at him before shaking his head and looking embarrassed at the ground. “Nah, she can’t get enough of him, he’s her favorite person in the world. She just doesn’t want her possibly over-protective brother hanging around and making people think she isn’t cool.”

Brother. Oh…  _ her brother.  _ This guy wasn’t a hot dad who was very likely taken, he was a hot  _ brother _ and therefore Harry at least thought he had a chance. 

Maybe. He could still very well be straight or taken or just not at all interested in Harry, but at least he wasn’t a married dad.

“Ahh, well I think she’s lucky to have you.”

The hot brother snorted, eyeing Harry before allowing his eyes to skirt up and down Harry’s body, clearly checking him out. 

“Well,” he finally said, “I’m not so sure about that, but thank you all the same…”

The man arched his perfectly shaped eyebrow and Harry realized he was waiting for Harry to fill in his name. That was an excellent sign. 

“Oh, Harry. I’m Harry.”

Taking the hand Harry stupidly had outstretched in a handshake, the hot brother smiled wide enough it made his eyes crinkle a little. 

“Louis. Nice to meet you, Harry.”

“Yeah,” Harry said before looking around and realizing that Louis very much had his chair set up for obvious solitude so he could watch over his sister without too many distractions. Harry now felt at a loss as to how to continue the conversation naturally. He just… he really felt like he needed to keep talking to Louis. He couldn’t even say why, he just felt like it was important.

And then he realized Louis hadn’t released his hand yet. Oh shit, was his hand sweaty? Clammy? Was this awkward or okay? Was it his fault they hadn’t let go? Louis hadn’t shown any signs of wanting to yet, had he?

When Harry realized he was having a bit of an internal crisis while staring at their joined hands, he shifted his gaze and found Louis already watching him with a bit of a smirk. 

Louis kept his hold on Harry’s hand firm even as he tilted his head in a way that made it so he was ever so slightly looking up through his eyelashes at him. It was rude. It was cruel. It looked both innocent and entirely seductive at the same time and Harry knew this was a move he had practice. He felt both honored and floored that Louis was using it on  _ him. _

“Harry, I’m going to be blunt here, because you’re probably here to do some grocery shopping and not hang out with some guy who’s babysitting his sister for the afternoon.”

Harry’s eyes widened and he nodded slowly, attempting to show Louis he was listening and ready for him to continue.

Giving Harry a big smile, Louis leaned in closer and asked, “Harry, would you mind possibly giving me your number? Or, if you’d prefer, I could give you mine and leave the ball in your court if that makes you more comfortable.”

Harry’s mouth went dry and he started nodding his head, much more fervently this time. “Yes. Yes, please. Uh, in fact…” Harry’s voice drifted off a little as he finally let go of Louis’ hand and dug his phone out of his back pocket. Taking a deep breath and steeling himself for a possible rejection, Harry said, “I’m actually here to get all of the fixings for eggplant parmesan. If you’re maybe interested in coming to my place for dinner tonight?”

Louis hummed as he rocked back onto his heels, his eyes sparkling. “That sounds amazing.”

As Harry handed his phone over, Harry huffed a laugh. “Is that a yes? Does that mean it’s a date?”

“Absolutely,” Louis said, taking the phone and typing in his information. “I just wanted to hear you say it would be a date first.”

“Oh, I see,” Harry said with a laugh. “Had to make sure my intentions were pure before you’d accept?”

“Who said anything about pure intentions?” Louis asked, once again giving Harry his devastating smirk. “I just wanted to be sure it wasn’t just as friends so I had my expectations straight.”

“I’d prefer your expectations were anything but straight, actually,” Harry shot back before he could think. He scrunched his nose and was about to apologize when Louis laughed so hard he bent forward a bit.

“Oh my God, we might be soulmates,” Louis said happily before handing Harry’s phone back. “Are you always this quick witted?”

“Mm, I’m a bit off my game right now actually,” Harry said, this time making sure to smile enough that he showed off his dimples. They were like his secret weapon. He’d once been told no one could say no to them, and he wanted to be sure he had Louis fully invested in a date with him tonight. 

“How’s that?” Louis asked, eyes straying to Harry’s dimples. Perfect.

“Wasn’t expecting to meet someone as gorgeous as you at Kroger.”

“Alright, Casanova,” Louis said, waving his hand. “Enough of the flattery and lines. You’ve got me. Text me your address and I’ll be at your place after Doris’ shift is done and I’ve returned her to her parents. Should be around 6:30 if that works for you.”

“Perfect,” Harry said, walking slowly back towards the doors. “Wine?”

“Only drink red,” Louis called out.

Nodding, Harry gave a thumbs up then finally turned around. If he swayed his hips a bit more than usual in the hope that Louis would like what he saw, no one had to know.

(Except Louis apparently knew. He’d texted himself Harry’s number when he was putting in his information and the next thing Harry knew, he was picking out bananas in the produce section and he got a text from Louis saying so. He didn’t mind. Louis  _ did _ like what he saw.)

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for giving my little fic a chance! I hope you had fun reading it and it made you smile. If you liked it, please consider leaving a kudos, a nice comment, and maybe even [reblogging the fic post](https://lululawrence.tumblr.com/post/625444754851790848/dont-want-it-any-other-way-by-lululawrence-harry).


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